CHANGE
Last summer I watched a nest of baby barn swallows begin the process of starting to fly, and ultimately leave the nest. As I watched, they stretched and flapped their wings, and one almost toppled out of the nest in doing so. It was a little anxiety-provoking for me, and seemed like it must have been downright scary for the young birds.
I realized I was observing a change process, and that, like it is for their human neighbors, the change process was difficult for the little swallows.
It reinforced for me how hard change can be.
Even though it is difficult, change is important.
In the case of the swallows, it was clearly time to leave the nest. Their parents had been working from dawn to dusk to feed the baby birds, and yet, they were still always hungry. The nest was becoming way too crowded for all those baby birds – and, as I mentioned above, I literally watched one almost fall out as it stretched its wings. Change was necessary; current conditions were no longer conducive to the well-being of those swallows.
What also caught my attention is, though they made a lot of noise, and appeared anxious (at least from my human perspective) they didn’t give up. They needed to embrace the change so they could begin to soar like they were meant to as swallows.
Change is an important part of growth for people, and organizations too, and yet, so many of us avoid it, fight it, and sometimes even refuse to consider it.
I am not talking about change for the sake of change - which can be an exercise in frustration, and a time-and-money waster. I am also not talking about the world-stopping pandemic-related change that we have all experienced on some level for the past couple of years: I am talking about healthy change, which is necessary for us to grow and thrive.
WHEN IS CHANGE RIGHT FOR YOU?
When is change healthy and necessary? There are multiple times and multiple reasons when change may be right.
One of the most important reasons is you believe you could be more effective by doing something more or different. You might experience this as no longer being satisfied with your work or its impact; working hard, but not seeing that you are making a difference; or when your tried-and-true approach no longer delivers the same outcomes.
Another time to consider change is when an outside force signals that the status quo is no longer a given.
Here are some things that might signal it is time for change:
· You feel like you are spinning your wheels
· You no longer fit - whether it is your space, relationship, job, or organization
· Your values or perspective have evolved, and are in conflict with your current situation
There are also times when you may not feel the need to change, but someone else decides that change needs to happen; and that change impacts you. This could include:
· The priorities of your organization, or your funder, have changed, and that impacts what you do in your work
· Your field has embraced a new definition of what constitutes best practices
· You have received a signal that things may become unstable, and you will need to adjust accordingly
· Someone changes their behaviors or language in your relationship with them
LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT CHANGE
In my first book, Stop Spinning Your Wheels: Using Results-Based Accountability to Steer Your Agency to Success I wrote about my experience managing change in a large public organization. In the book, I identify and share what I learned about change and leading change. Here are some of those lessons:
Change is hard
We perceive change as a good thing when it is our idea, but not so good when it is someone else’s idea and it affects us. When we are good at what we do, and have been rewarded for being good at it, it can be an unwelcome surprise when someone suggests, or worse – requires - us to change what we do.
Even when we perceive change as positive, the process of changing is hard!
Change takes support
Finding a support network helps with surviving and thriving in change. It can also help bolster the good decisions you have made about change, and help you re-think decisions that have not worked well.
Change takes time
I am guilty of wanting to see big results, and to see them quickly – especially when I have made big changes. But the truth is that change happens in baby steps. Understand that small increases on a regular basis will eventually get you the big results you are looking for.
Change your perspective (Change yourself)
Changing your focus and your efforts from concentrating on what you do to what you want to accomplish is a very effective way to achieve success.
Don’t wait to start
The British author, Samuel Johnson (1709 – 1784) wrote “Nothing will ever be achieved if all possible objections must first be overcome”. I kept this quote on my office door for almost 10 years as a reminder to myself, and anyone who stopped by, that if you wait for the perfect time to start your change effort, you will be waiting forever.
You will also most likely make mistakes. Don’t let that stop you either!
Since starting my consulting practice, I have also learned the following additional lessons:
Change can sometimes be dangerous
The day after the fledgling swallows left the nest, they were all perched nearby, and a little too low for their safety. One of our barn cats took advantage of the opportunity and leapt up and grabbed one in his mouth. Luckily, I was able to chase him and gently pull the bird out of his mouth. That really reinforced for me the need to have good support close by.
As humans, we can also get too close to danger – especially when we are trying out something new. So consider how you can have a good support network close by. If you don’t have a group of like-minded thinkers, or experienced supporters, who can provide support and guidance when needed, find or create one so that you can both give and get support.
Change can be a gift
We all have experiences and relationships that have been uncomfortable or unpleasant – or both. Sometimes they serve as signals that we need to change. And while going through them is not at all enjoyable, we can reframe how we see challenges, roadblocks, and negative experiences so that we can identify the growth opportunities in them, and can use them to strengthen ourselves.
I like to call these experiences “the gift that doesn’t feel like a gift” because when I am able to look back on them with some distance and objectivity, I often find that I have learned something important, acquired or honed a skill, or have grown as a professional.
Don’t let “perfect” become the enemy of “good”
Perfect endings happen in fairy tales, and sometimes at the movies, but not in real life. Change can be hard; and it can also be a gift; and if it is time to make your change - do it! Don’t expect a perfect ending, or a perfect landing; and remember that young swallow - because this is still real life, and real life does not include perfection. Be brave, and be smart, and find your support system. If you don’t expect a perfect ending – or a perfect beginning – you can grow and thrive through the change you are ready to make.
Over the next few weeks, I will share more about what I learned through each of these lessons. Hopefully, you will find some useful take-aways that you can apply.
READY TO TALK ABOUT CHANGE?
Are you thinking about change already? Are you ready for change now?
I help leaders understand how to plan and manage change in order to grow, and to achieve their desired outcomes. If you’d like to talk about how I can support your change efforts, please reach out at https://www.action2outcomes.com/contact-us I would love to start a conversation with you!